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Striking BIW union says mediated negotiations with company 'appear to be breaking down'

This week's negotiations, assisted by a federal mediator, come as Local S6 of the Machinists Union enters the ninth week of a strike.

BATH, Maine — Leaders of the largest union at Bath Iron Works, which has been on strike since June, reported Wednesday that recently restarted negotiations with the company "appear to be breaking down."

"Although we T.A.'ed [tentatively agreed to] 3 articles yesterday (good progress) negotiations appear to be breaking down as the bigger issues are being addressed," Local S6 officials reported on the union's website Wednesday morning.

The report comes three days into a second round of negotiations, this time with the assistance of federal mediators.

On Tuesday, the union reported the two sides had reached agreement on Monday on "two articles both parties believed we could reasonably get through," including the union gaining "the ability to jointly develop merit raise criteria."

A BIW spokesman on Tuesday referred to a statement by the mediators, the U.S. Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service:

"Representatives from Bath Iron Works and International Association of Machinists Local S6 are meeting with FMCS assistance this week to continue their negotiations. Though FMCS cannot comment on the substance or status of their specific negotiations, FMCS mediators are working with these parties to resolve the issues that divide them. Two articles were agreed to by the parties yesterday as talks continue."

Negotiations for a new, fthree-year contract became heated and then ended in June after the company issued its "last, best and final offer," which the union said included a number of issues it would not accept—primarily allowing BIW more flexibility to use subcontractors and not requiring the company to hold to long-established practices regarding seniority.

BIW did not immediately respond to NEWS CENTER Maine's request for comment.

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